Archival Research Catalog (ARC)

Historical Documents Online: Search Hints for Selected Topics

Navy Records


Selected Navy Records in ARC


  • Selected Photographs from the 13th Naval District, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 1895 - 1945
    58 photographs from this series have been digitized. The digitized images relate to building the first three dry docks at the Puget Sound Navy Yard (now Puget Sound Naval Shipyard) at the turn of the century. Additional photos document the construction of other buildings at the Yard including some World War II construction. The digitized documents are held by NARA's Pacific Region (Seattle).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 58 digitized photographs:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Puget Sound and Naval District in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 299638, Title: "Erection of Cantilever Cranes for Shipbuilding Dock. General view of cranes looking north., 08/01/1918"

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  • Photographs and Negatives Relating to Harbor Projects, 1913 - 1938
    15 photographs have been digitized from this series. The subject of these photographs is the Yerba Buena Shoals Fill - now known as Treasure Island. The buildings shown under construction were to be used as exhibit halls during the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition. Some of the buildings were to be used as part of an airport facility after the Exposition. World War II caused a change of plans and the U.S. Navy took control of the island where it remained for the next half-century. These materials are held by NARA's Pacific Region (San Bruno, CA).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 15 digitized photographs:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Yerba Buena in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Select the Location filter for NARA's Pacific Region (San Bruno).
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 296383, Title: "D-3249 5-2-37 Air Terminal Bldg. View N from top of bunkers, 05/26/1937"

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  • Selected Photographs from the Ninth Naval District Office of the Commandant, 1913 - 1953
    13 photographs have been digitized from this series. The digitized photographs include images of activities and personnel related to the U.S. Naval Ammunition Depot, Hastings, Nebraska. These materials are held by NARA's Great Lakes Region (Chicago, IL).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 13 digitized photographs:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Ninth Naval District in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 283493, Title: "Photograph with caption 'Beauty Contest Winners at the Wo-Wo' Dance," U.S. Naval Ammunition Depot, Hastings, Nebraska., 1944?

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  • Selected Photographs from the Correspondence Files of the Inspector of Naval Aircraft (Seattle, Washington), 1917 - 1918
    15 photographs have been digitized from this series. The files include correspondence, purchase orders and reports regarding contracts and orders for Boeing Airplane Company to build Model "C" seaplanes and Curtiss HS-2L Flying Boats for the Navy Department. The digitized images illustrate the manufacturing processes used in the construction of the HS-2L Flying Boats by the Boeing Airplane Company. These materials are held by NARA's Pacific Alaska Region (Seattle).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 15 digitized photographs:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Inspector of Naval Aircraft in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit hits radio button to 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 298559, Title: "Fixture for flanging tanks and baffles on a plain milling machine., ca. 1918"

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  • Photographic File of the Naval Aircraft Factory, 1918 - 1941
    6 photographs were digitized from this series. This photographic file was compiled by the staff of the Photographic Section of the Naval Aircraft Factory and documents the various activities undertaken there with respect to naval aircraft research, development, testing, production, and repair. These photographs were used in reports submitted to the Bureau of Aeronautics, and were also used in technical manuals published for the use of Navy aircraft mechanics and inspectors. A large portion of these photographs show individual aircraft components, such as engines, airframe assemblies, and landing gear. These materials are held by NARA's Still Picture Records (College Park,MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 6 digitized photographs:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Naval Aircraft Factory in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 518855, Title: "Navy's R3C-3 racer, at Naval Aircraft Factory., 10/14/1926", Local Identifier: NWDNS-72-AF-35511

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  • Records of the U.S. Coast Guard, Bering Sea Patrol, 1926 - 1940
    2 documents have been digitized from this series. This series documents the patrol activities of the cutters and includes reports, enforcement of customs, fisheries, and pelagic sealing laws charts and maps personnel records and some census' and sociological reports for native villages and other papers concerning ship maintenance and deployment. The Bering Sea Patrol ships include the Ewing, Haida, Shoshone, Tahoe, Bonham, Chelan, Northland, Tallapoosa, Alert, Cyane, Daphne, Morris, Duane, Ingham, Atlanta, Hermes, Itasca, Spencer, Perseus, and the Redwing. These materials are held by NARA's Pacific Alaska Region (Seattle, WA).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 2 digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Bering Sea Patrol Force in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 297163, Title: "Journal, Bering Sea Patrol Force, Force Commander's Office, Unalaska Base., 05/27/1926 - 08/10/1926"

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  • U.S. Submarine War Patrol Reports, 1941 - 1945
    3 pages of this war patrol report have been digitized. This entry includes the rescue of George Bush after the future president's TBM-1C aircraft was downed over the ocean during World War II. An additional 5 pages have been digitized from the action report of U.S. Navy Torpedo Squadron 51 (VT-51) for actions occurring September 1-2, 1944, and 4 pages have been digitized from the deck log of the USS SAN JACINTO (CVL-30), September 2, 1944, when he was rescued. 1 page which notes the loss of the TBM-1C has been digitized from the World War II Casualty List by Aircraft Type. These materials are held by NARA's Modern Military Records (College Park, MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 3 digitized pages:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Submarine War Patrol Report in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 305245, Title: "U.S. Submarine War Patrol Report, USS FINBACK (SS-230), 10th War Patrol, September 2, 1945., 09/02/1944"

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  • Salvage Operations at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard Following the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, 1941 - 1944
    48 photographs have been digitized from several series of photographs of salvage operations at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard taken by the shipyard personnel during the period following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. The photographs are found in a number of files in several shipyard records series. These materials are held by NARA's Pacific Region (San Bruno, CA).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 48 digitized photographs:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 296925, Title: "USS Oklahoma- Salvage, 12-11-42 5351-42 Personnel after work in #2 section of main air bubble showing equipment, including face masks with air supply, battery powered miners lights and small air cylinders for emergency supply. Enclosure G, 12/11/1942"

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  • Action Report of the Loss of the USS PT-109 on August 1st and 2nd, 1943
    A 15 page document has been digitized from this action report of the famous loss of the USS PT-109, commanded by future President John F. Kennedy. The incident became the focus of a popular motion picture and media attention upon Kennedy's emergence as a national political leader. The report also notes future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Byron White as one of the officials investigating the incident. These materials are held by the Modern Military Records (College Park, MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the digitized document:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter {USS PT-109} in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 305237, Title: "Action Report of the Loss of the USS PT-109 on August 1-2, 1943., 08/01/1943 - 08/02/1943"

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  • Deck Log, USS RINGGOLD (DD-500), 1945
    1 page has been digitized from the deck log of the USS Ringgold (DD-500). A deck log is a brief record of the daily administrative activities of a ship. It includes journal-style entries of the ship's administrative activities location and course of travel disciplinary procedures and any unusual events. The logs sometimes include information related to operational activities, although the level of content and detail may vary widely. These materials are held by NARA's Modern Military Records (College Park, MD).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the one digitized document:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter USS RINGGOLD in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 1000.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 305183, Title: "Deck Log, USS RINGGOLD (DD-500), January 1, 1945., 01/01/1945"

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  • General Correspondence (Formerly Classified) from the Office of the Commandant, U. S. Navy, 12th Naval District
    16 documents have been digitized from this series. The digitized records, which include both textual documents and photographs, relate to Japanese aerial attacks on U. S. merchant ships serving as cargo vessels and frequently as Army troop transports. The digitized documents relate to attacks on the SS John A. Johnson the SS Jeremiah M. Daily the SS Morrison R. Waite and the SS Alexander Majors. These materials are held by NARA's Pacific Region (San Bruno, CA).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 16 digitized documents:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Maritime Carrier in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 296777, Title: "Serial 5456 Enclosure C: Photographs of Survivors of Sinking of SS John A Johnson by Japanese Submarine on October 29, 1944, taken by rescue vessel USS Argus, 10/30/1944"

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  • Selected Photographs from the Eleventh Naval District
    185 photographs from the Eleventh Naval District have been digitized. Included are images from formerly classified correspondence files central subject files and historical photograph files. These materials are held by NARA's Pacific Region (Riverside, CA).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 185 digitized photographs:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter Eleventh Naval District in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 1000.
    6. Select the location filter for NARA's Pacific Region (Laguna Niguel)
    7. Press the Go button.
    8. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 295554, Title: "Landing force camp, Guantanamo Bay, [Cuba]"

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  • Selected Photographs Relating to Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California and Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, California
    63 photographs from these series have been digitized. These photographs document the construction, layout and buildings of the San Francisco Naval Shipyard during the early years. Also included in the subject matter are the activities related to shipyard personnel, ship repair, and ship construction at both shipyards. These materials are held by NARA's Pacific Region (San Bruno, CA).

    Search Hint: To retrieve the 63 digitized photographs:

    1. Go to http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/.
    2. Press the Yellow search button to go to the Archival Descriptions Search screen.
    3. To search only for archival descriptions that have digital copies, click the Digital Copies search button at the top of the ARC pages.
    4. Enter (Mare OR Hunters) and shipyard in the Keywords box.
    5. Select the limit results radio button for 100.
    6. Press the Go button.
    7. When hits are returned for your search, view the full result of your hit by selecting the Title link.

    From the Collection:

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    ARC Identifier: 296887, Title: "First women to attain rate of Electric Welder, 3rd class, were Alyce R. Sawyers (on the left) and Josephine L. Hollingworth, in 1942. U.S. Navy Yard, Mare Island., CA., ca. 1942"

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